Question for Americans.

[davywavy]

What is a 'cracker' and why is being one such a bad thing? I'm aware that the term derives from 'cracking corn', but I don't know what this is either and so can't make the leap to 'cracker trash' from here.

Comments

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

i'd guess that its a low-paid and low-skill job and that cracker-trash are folk as drift around and do it?

though from my POV being a 'cracker' is a good thing, surely?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure - I think that 'cracking' was something slaves did (As in "Jimmy crack corn and I don't care"), but i'm damned if I know how one would go about it.

Why would being a cracker be a good thing? because it means that they at least have work?

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

ahh, its the sort of thing that my dad would use to refer to something in a positive manner:

"That blonde was a cracker!"
"Thats a cracking piece of cheese Gromit"

and so on, that, and Bobby-Dazzler are two of the phrases that i think of as 'his' (even though i use them on occasion)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Oh, true. However, 'cracking' appears to have different meanings in Yorkshire and Tennessee

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

This is true, but then, who cares about Tennessee...?

[godzuki.livejournal.com]

Weirdly I know this one,

Cracker is a term for white trash only, since our pasty pale skin looks like white crackers, its a term of insult, a modern version of honky.

its a bad thing i guess cos its an insult and implys your low life, council estate scallys (the UK equivilent)

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

That depends whether or not it's got a gratuitously unhealthy dessert named after it. Like Mississippi Mud Pie.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Tennessee Toffee Tuck?

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

In that case, I care about Tennessee.

And am now hungry, damn you.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

that was only a guess...and sorry.

if it helps any i'm desiring chicken soup hellaciously and won't get any for AAAAAGES...if at all?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

mmmmm...chicken soup...

In other news, I may be in b'ham next week if you want to do lunch.

[godzuki.livejournal.com]

Great, please stay the fuck away from me!

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

when you going to be about?

as long as its not Wednesday is likely to be doable...

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Well, screw you, bitch-boy.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

dunno - I have to come up and grovel to a client.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

ahhh right, well, when you know more let me know :)

[nychorror.livejournal.com]

Correct!

Though it's not always used to refer to the lower economy, Jerry Springer-appearing white folk, but can also denote any Euro-American depending on the area.

The thing of it is, like "Honky" it rally doesn't seem to piss off or disturb anyone.

Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner

[martyrssmile.livejournal.com]

Actually... no one is very sure where the term came from even if the "cracking corn for liqour making" is a likely possiblity.

While currently the connotations are less harsh than they used to be it is right up on par (in the not so recent past) to using the term "colored" to refer to those of african descent.

It is a term equated originally with being "Poor White", a precursor term for white trash. This was a deeply offensive term, even in a time and location when many people of all colors were poor. To be a "Poor White" you were not only poor but lacking in even basic social graces and values. The difference between "White people who were poor" and "Poor Whites" was absolute in the time frame (Early to mid 1900's). It was often said it would be better to be a black than a Poor White. (Remember, this being the time frame before Civil Rights really had any impact on the lives of Americans)

Cracker was another similar term that in recent years has come to simply mean "White Person" with occasional overtones of "hopelessly white" i.e. white guy who doesn't get soul music or hip culture. Originally Redneck too was in this catagory, meaning essentially the same thing; being a caucasian directed vulgarity on the same level as Nigger was towards blacks.

Re: Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It's one of these phrases that really just intrigues me as to teh derivation.

Re: Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner

[martyrssmile.livejournal.com]

Always happy to be of service. :)